Your Daily Tech Fix

Russia wants user data, local offices and data centers – otherwise websites will be shut down

According to AFP, the Russian government has just passed a bill in an attempt to force companies such as Facebook, Google and Twitter to open up local offices and store user data locally by building data centers in the country.

Companies have until September 2016 to comply, otherwise the government will be able to shut down the websites in Russia.

Here is how the Russians explained the new law: “most Russians don’t want their data to leave Russia for the United States, where it can be hacked and given to criminals.”

“Our entire lives are stored over there,” said MP Vadim Dengin.

The US companies have yet to comment but concerns are growing in general when it comes to the Russian government trying to take more and more control by introducing strange laws like this. It will be interesting to see how companies like Google and Facebook react to this as Russia is a big market which can’t be ignored by a global company.